People Person
by TheShoelessOne
Summary: I do like people. In general. On the whole. Some of them, anyway. People just don't seem to like me back very much. Because I'm not a people person." Daniel Faraday, in a brief character study. Dan love!


**People Person**

I'm not a people person.

A lot of people say that, but I don't think that they really mean it. Not that I don't like people. I do like people. In general. On the whole. Some of them, anyway. People just don't seem to like me back very much. Because I'm not a people person.

It's a Mobius Strip of interpersonal relationships. Back and forth and over and under and sideways and back again, back to Daniel.

Daniel Faraday, by the way. Physicist by day, jungle adventurer by night. I don't do well in hot climates. Or wet. Next time, pack the umbrellas next to the gas masks. Water doesn't slide off, it soaks in and permeates. Makes me want to go back and forget all this business with time-pockets and gun-wielding brunettes. The brunettes don't carry guns at Oxford.

Not most of them, anyway.

They carry their books, six or seven of them if it's a Monday; they walk off to Chemistry with Balestra in the room next to mine. Quantum Physics on Mondays and Wednesdays. I don't like to hand out A's. They all warn their friends that Faraday's cracked, Faraday's got a twitch in his right eye, Faraday has a nervous laugh and he spends too much time in his office alone. Enrollment went down. At least those that stay pay attention. They still don't get A's.

The girls look at me when they walk by, books up to their eyeballs. Me, all scarf from neck to eyes, wrapped up over my hair and eyebrows to keep the wind out and the warmth in. I smile, but they don't see it. I'm all but invisible under the blue and brown wool of a terrible scarf, stuffed into as many coats as I can fit on. Hands down in my pockets, stuck between scraps of paper and their scribbled equations, notes pouring out of my head.

They don't smile back. Not usually. I like people, but people don't really seem to like me.

It's four to a table in the staff office. There's five crowded around one so none of them have to sit at mine. The coffee's burnt again; they're glaring at me, which probably means it was my fault. Turned the pot on again and dashed off to jot something down somewhere. Caught in the hallway by one of the brunette girls with all her books, asking me something I don't remember saying. I try to help anyway, because she bats her eyes in the way she thinks is seductive. Won't work on me. Not Daniel Faraday. I've got scruples.

It's still raining when I poke my head out of the tarp-topped tent. It's either night or near dawn. It's all gray light, anyhow.

That's the thing with rain. You can't see the stars for the clouds. On my first fantastic jungle voyage, and I can't even see the stars. My watch won't help, not if that rocket's got anything to say on it. Running on Island Time.

Do kids brought up in a musical vacuum still get songs stuck in their heads? I'd do anything to get this one out of my head. _You all everybody..._ Everybody but Faraday. Even when it got warm and I could walk around campus without a thousand scarves wrapped around my head, they didn't smile back much.

I like people in general. When they're not pressing a gun to my head or chasing me through the jungle. When they smile back, that's what I like. Not that "oh it's Faraday, better smile so he doesn't shoot up the school someday" kind of smile. The one that makes me remember that humanity's not all that bad. I don't get that one from the brunettes, all their books in their arms like they want me to know how much they're not reading. I never really liked the brunettes anyway. I'm more of a redhead kinda guy.

They just don't seem to like me much.

Because I'm not a people person.

* * *

AN: Wow... I haven't written for Lost in... _forever_. I was just really inspired by Dan's character. I fell in love with him really quick (it helps that he was in a movie I just watched and loved; "Ravenous" go check it out). He's sweet and shy and adorkable and I want to give him hugs. Where's the Dan love, huh?! Anyway, this is just a weird kind of drabble that poured out of my head after watching the new episode tonight. Hope the weirdness and shortness aren't that bad, and I hoped I got enough of Dan out here. Tell me what you think, leave me some love, and maybe you'll see more from me if Dan sticks around. Much love for reading, and stay awesome! 


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